I have a 1948 Pontiac Torpedo that has 2" lowering blocks in the back. The rear tires are 245 R60/15 on American Racing Torque Thrust rims. As you can see from the pictures it sit low and there is only an 1" or so of clearance between the sidewall and the lip of the rear fender. I am rubbing when I go around corners and the body rolls at all. I am thinking of changing out to air shocks. Anyone else running air shocks on their rides? Do you think this would solve my issue?
It might solve the rubbing but you'll effect the ride quality. Air shocks are better suited for heavy loading / towing. More appropriate tire size and wheel offset is a better fix........but more expensive. Baseball bat to the fender lip might just work now that I take a better look at your pic. Not beat it but rolled against the tire.
I am planning on air shocks for my fleetline. There are very small on board compressors available with on-demand capability.
An old style wired edge with 3/16" round stock may assist and give some some minor additional clearance. You need an edge to maintain rigidity, simply flattening the edge may give you clearance at the expense of the other. I have the same issue with my 46 Olds and will be installing a heavier rear roll bar to compensate for my suspension modifications. I'm also looking at different offset wheels and a change in tyre width to give me what I need.
Jeremy< My '41 Pontiac with 2'' blocks in the rear rubbed the same way. I bent the sharp inside fender lip up flat along the top with giant channel lock pliers squeezing an inch at a time with carpet covered piece of wood against the outside of the fender. You might also decrease the amount of body roll by installing a heavier sway bar from a mid-fifties Pontiac.
How to you measure those sway bars to ensure they fit? I am still learning and full of dumb questions Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
http://www.eastwood.com/ew-fender-roller-w-instruction.html They also make one for your spare tire. https://www.amazon.com/Fitness-Mast...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=RRFDVS56QBCWWD2B3FA0
Keep hangin out here Jeremy and you'll be swapping those AR TT's for a set of steelies, wide whites and Sombreros.
I just got them last week. So it will have to wait. My pockets are full of only lent Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
That is a beautiful car !! A Baseball bat fender roll is traditional and cheap. New style late model torque thrusts and tires not so much of either.
I really kicked around steelies and baby moons. It will get white walls when I wear these out. I just had the transmission rebuilt after the torque converter shelled it. So there went any tire money. But hey I got a new TH200 out of it.
I had the same problem with my 49 chev with 3" blocks on a S10 rearend. Went the air shock route, when driving lift it up a couple of inches problem solved.
So I finally got around to fixing the rubbing issue on the Pontiac. It was pretty simple. I just removed the lowering blocks and put new rear shocks on it. The blocks had to go because they where causing rubbing issues on the driver side shock. I like how it sits now.
Glad it turned out simple. I was gonna suggest the wheels and tire method over the bat. If you didnt know how or messed it up with the bat,now you have another problem with paint and a wasted fender. Those fenders are not cheap anymore.My Olds is coil and I believe the other GM brands were leaf...correct??
Simple answer $$. I may in the future but I really like it sitting higher. I know I am going against the grain by picking it up.
Yea I was a bit frustrated, but now that I have lifted it back up. I am pretty happy with it. My dad is moving out here this summer and he is going to help me push the axle back a inch or so to get it centered better in the rear wheel well. That is more looks then function. I am also replacing the 245s in the back with 235s. So between all that I should be good to go.
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